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Greetings, and Happy Cinco de Mayo.

A look back at the most recent NFC West chat shows the concussion issue permeating what are usually football-related discussions. The issue was a significant one for the division last season as several players, notably Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb and St. Louis Rams tackle Jason Smith, missed extended periods after suffering head injuries.

Both men absorbed inadvertent knees to the head (as did the San Francisco 49ers' Delanie Walker, who suffered a broken jaw as a result). There was not much anyone could have done to prevent these injuries, but as ESPN's Merril Hoge said Friday, how teams and players respond can make all the difference.

NFC West teams seemed to respond appropriately in these cases. Walker said he did not suffer a concussion, only the jaw injury. Kolb and Smith missed extended periods following their concussions.

Brian from Arizona asks whether Kolb, who suffered a concussion playing for Philadelphia prior to suffering one last season, would have to consider retirement if he suffered one serious enough to sideline him for multiple games in 2012.

Mike Sando: Reasonably, yes, but we have evidence suggesting players will try to keep playing, and teams will keep giving them chances. I wonder if we're headed for a day when players must go through some sort of neurological or medical board to get a license to play in the NFL. Sort of the way boxing requires boxers to get a license. I mean, Brandon Stokley is playing in the NFL after suffering more than 10 significant concussions, by his count.

David from Maryland asks which wide receivers are most likely to stick on the Rams' initial 53-man roster.

Mike Sando: We need to know whether Steve Smith is going to be healthy. A scout for an NFL team told me he though the Rams would cut a receiver who would catch on with another team. Brian Quick makes it as a second-round choice. Danny Amendola makes it as a slot receiver. I suspect Greg Salas makes it. Chris Givens has a decent shot as a fourth-round pick. We haven't even mentioned Brandon Gibson, Austin Pettis or Danario Alexander. My feel is that injuries will make some of the decisions for the Rams. Smith and Alexander are two players to watch on that front. Can they hold up OK?

Boothe from parts unknown asks which is a more plausible hypothesis: The 49ers approached this draft with an eye on giving Alex Smith more weapons, or that they drafted these players to pair with Colin Kaepernick (in the near future) in a more dynamic, high-speed offense? "Or is neither exclusive of the other?" he asks.

Mike Sando: The 49ers were adding to their offense, period. If Alex Smith makes the most of those weapons, good for him. If not, on to the next guy. I'm sure they're thinking in the backs of their minds about a day when Colin Kaepernick, A.J. Jenkins and LaMichael James are on the field together with Vernon Davis, etc. But for now, Alex Smith gets first crack.

Bernie from Burien, Wash., asks whether the Seattle Seahawks should consider converting Mike Williams to tight end, a position where the team needs additional depth.

Mike Sando: Mike Williams wouldn't offer enough as a blocker. Plus, he is 230 pounds, too light for a tight end, and he has had trouble staying healthy. The team needs to add a real tight end. Visanthe Shiancoe is the most logical candidate by far among veteran free agents. He is 32, but he has not missed games.

Enjoy your Saturday. I'll be ducking out to watch our youngest play baseball.

We've made it, just about, to the 2012 NFL draft.

The anticipation kept at least one NFC West fan and probably a few NFL general managers from sleeping Wednesday night (throw me into that category as well, given that I was up to receive the above-linked tweet).

Let's pass at least some of the remaining time with a spin around the division.

Eric D. Williams of the Tacoma News Tribune checks in with draft analyst Rob Rang for thoughts on defensive backs the Seahawks could consider in each round. South Carolina cornerback Stephon Gilmore is one consideration. Rang: "An athletic cover corner with the size and physicality to be successful in Seattle’s press scheme, Gilmore’s stock is on the rise as the draft approaches."

Also from Williams: Sounds like the Seahawks plan to keep Kam Chancellor at safety, an indication Mark Barron isn't a likely first-round selection for Seattle. General manager John Schneider: "We usually try not to move Pro Bowl players to different positions."

Brock Huard of 710ESPN Seattle thinks Luke Kuechly would be the best choice for the Seahawks with the 12th overall choice if the Boston College linebacker remains available at that point.

Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic considers the Cardinals' draft options and offers this: "The Cardinals have had their shares of busts, such as linebackers Cody Brown (second round, 2009) and Buster Davis (third round, 2007). Others haven't played up to their lofty draft status, such as tackle Levi Brown (fifth overall, 2007). And others have developed slower than the team had hoped, such as nose tackle Dan Williams (first round, 2010). But early returns suggest the Cardinals had one of their better draft classes in 2011. Three of the eight picks became regular starters on a team that went 8-8."

Also from Somers: what draft analysts are saying about Riley Reiff and Michael Floyd.

Darren Urban of azcardinals.com has the Cardinals selecting Reiff at No. 13. He has Justin Blackmon to St. Louis, Melvin Ingram to Seattle and Amini Silatolu to San Francisco.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com also has the 49ers selecting Silatolu in the first round. Maiocco: "Offensive line coaches Mike Solari and Tim Drevno drove to meet Silatolu last week at his old high school. They drew up several 49ers offensive plays on the board, along with the corresponding adjustments based on the defense. And then they had Silatolu repeat the plays back to them. Silatolu told CSNBayArea.com on Wednesday that the zone blocking scheme he ran in college is similar to the 49ers' system."

Also from Maiocco: thoughts on why the 49ers should wait until after the first round before selecting a wide receiver.

Lowell Cohn of the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat says the 49ers would be much better off drafting Fleener than their next starting right guard. Cohn: "Right guard is the least important offensive lineman. Because Trent Baalke moved up in the draft last year to take Daniel Kilgore, so Baalke and his brain trust must feel Kilgore has potential. Because a good right guard is not hard to find in later rounds."

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News lays out a case for the 49ers drafting Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill.

Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News explains why he thinks receiver Alshon Jeffery will be the 49ers' choice at No. 30.

Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Rams coach Jeff Fisher downplayed "rumors" regarding running back Steven Jackson being unhappy with his contract or on the trading block. Fisher: "Steven's here in the offseason program. He's upstairs every other day (where the coaches’ offices are located). He’s doing great. Having fun. Learning the offense. No discussion, conversation, or anything along that sort to my knowledge."

Also from Thomas: thoughts on the Rams possibly trading down. Thomas: "If they stay at No. 6, Justin Blackmon is the logical choice -- and it looks like he’ll be there when they pick. But the Rams need more picks, and if the right offer presents itself to trade down, the Rams will do that."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Rams should use the sixth overall choice for Blackmon. Miklasz: "It makes no sense to draft quarterback Sam Bradford No. 1 overall, invest $50 million guaranteed in his rookie (2010) contract, then continue to surround him with mediocrity. I agree with those who say Blackmon isn't the prototype No. 1 wideout. But here are the names of the seven wide receivers on the Rams' roster: Danny Amendola, Danario Alexander, Brandon Gibson, Steve Smith, Austin Pettis, Greg Salas and Dominique Curry."

Jeff Gordon of stltoday.com passes along highlights and notes from Fisher's news conference.

The recently activated 2012 NFL Draft Machine lets us quickly play around with various mock scenarios.

The other eight divisional bloggers and I are working on one for publication Monday.

I'm picking for the NFC West teams and couldn't help but notice how frequently wide receiver factored into the decision making for the St. Louis Rams, Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers in particular.

Justin Blackmon was an obvious consideration for the Rams at No. 6. Michael Floyd entered into consideration for the Cardinals at No. 13. The 49ers do not pick until No. 30, making it less clear which wideouts might be available.

The chart shows current wide receivers for NFC West teams. The Rams' Danny Amendola is a restricted free agent. The others are signed and active.

Enjoy the draft machine. I'll break out my thoughts on NFC West possibilities when our mock runs Monday.

Steve Smith caught 107 passes for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns for the New York Giants during the 2009 season.

The 26-year-old receiver has only 59 catches for 653 yards and four touchdowns in two subsequent seasons, enduring microfracture knee surgery that has called into question Smith's ability to produce at a high level in the future. Smith landed on injured reserve last season thanks to what was described as a bone bruise in the same knee.

Lingering concerns allowed the St. Louis Rams to reach agreement Monday on a one-year deal for Smith, an unrestricted free agent, according to Jim Thomas.

At best, Smith will recapture Pro Bowl form, giving quarterback Sam Bradford a needed weapon with the versatility to line up in multiple spots. Players recovering from knee surgery sometimes fare better in their second year back on the field. Microfracture surgery is generally a last resort, however.

Smith joins Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson as current Rams receivers coming to St. Louis from the Eagles. The connection appears coincidental. Amendola and Gibson appealed in part because the Rams were running the Eagles' offensive scheme from 2009 through last season.

Smith, 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, was a big-play threat after the catch before his injury.

"He is an excellent route runner who can get in and out of his breaks with no wasted motion," the Scouts Inc. report on him reads, in part.

The St. Louis Rams thought they could upgrade from veteran linebacker Paris Lenon following the 2009 season.

Three years later, they still have not adequately replaced him.

The Arizona Cardinals sought to upgrade from Lenon last offseason when they invested $6 million a year in free-agent linebacker Stewart Bradley.

Lenon wound up playing more than 95 percent of the defensive snaps in 2011. He was a team captain, played through multiple injuries (including a cracked tailbone) and triggered a $500,000 salary increase for the 2012 season. His name jumped off the chart below showing NFC West players who have earned 2012 pay raises by meeting incentives.

Lenon, 34, will not go away. He has done what solid, unspectacular veterans must do to remain viable: stay on the field at all costs.

"His story is amazing," Lenon's agent, Jonathan Persch, said Friday. "He is the only XFL player still even remotely around. What makes him amazing is not just his resiliency on the field, but he is a normal soccer dad when he goes home to his wife and kids."

Undrafted from Richmond in 2000, Lenon went to camp with Carolina as a rookie, then caught on with the XFL's Memphis Maniax. He was briefly with Seattle and Green Bay before joining the Packers' practice squad in 2001.

Lenon played for the Amsterdam Adrmirals in NFL Europe and has subsequently played in 159 of 160 regular-season NFL games for the Packers, Detroit Lions, Rams and Cardinals. He has never missed a game to injury. Lenon did not play the 2009 opener only because the Rams had not yet signed him.

"He doesn't verbalize this," Persch said, "but dear God, don't tell him what he cannot do."

The Cardinals credited Lenon with 127 tackles in 2010 and 103 last season. Those totals, combined with playing time, helped Lenon achieve the $500,000 raise. Lenon also set a career high with three sacks. He has five sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble in two seasons with Arizona.

Will Lenon start again in 2012? There are never guarantees, but it's tough betting against him. Coach Ken Whisenhunt has emphasized playing the best players at every position, even when it wasn't convenient to him. That explained why Lenon stayed on the field last season even though the team had more invested in Bradley.

Note: Thanks to Brian McIntyre for putting together the information in the chart below. He has posted a broader NFL list of salary increases here.

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Thoughts on where NFC West players ranked for 2011 in yards per pass target:

• The players ranked second through seventh included four first-round picks and a second-rounder. The player ranked first, rookie Doug Baldwin, was not drafted. Think how many teams would draft Baldwin if given second chances. Seattle would have.
• Larry Fitzgerald's 9.2-yard average ranked a close second and was the most impressive mark in the division because he had so many targets (153).
• Sidney Rice did not make the intended impact in Seattle, but he did average 15.1 yards per catch and 8.5 per attempt. Those numbers were healthier than Rice, who battled injuries and currently faces three to four months rehabilitation from shoulder surgery.
• Braylon Edwards' 5.3-yard average says plenty about why the San Francisco 49ers released him. Injuries were a factor. We can speculate over whether Edwards fit well with the team, but a lack of production was the No. 1 issue. He did average 9.3 yards per target on third down, however. That ranked third in the division.
• Filtering to show third-down averages produced results of interest for qualifying players (min. 10 targets on third down). Niners rookie Kyle Williams shot to the head of the list with an 11.9-yard average on 11 targets. Six of those 11 plays gained first downs. He had gains of 56, 15, 12, 11, 10, 10, 9 and 8 yards on third down.
• Baldwin ranked second to Williams on third down, averaging 9.7 yards on a division-high 42 targets. Teammate Golden Tate was fifth at 8.8 yards per third-down target, ahead of Fitzgerald (7.7). Tate had 19 third-down targets, a relatively high number (Fitzgerald had 31).
• Brandon Lloyd's average with St. Louis should have been higher. The Rams threw to him frequently and weren't able to connect enough. I'd blame that on overall offensive incompetence, including at quarterback. Lloyd was no the problem in St. Louis.
• Dropped passes help explain why Frank Gore ranks so low on the list. Gore had seven drops on 30 targets. Only Cleveland's Montario Hardesty averaged fewer receptions per drop among players with at least five catches, and it was close (2.3 to 2.4). Seattle tight ends Anthony McCoy (2.6) and Cameron Morrah (3.0) were third and fourth on that list. The Seahawks went all season without a touchdown reception from their tight ends. Zach Miller added a welcome dimension as a blocker, at least.

Thanks to Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information for providing raw data for me to mine.
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» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 31
Preseason Power Ranking: 17

Biggest surprise: The Rams ranked eighth in sacks per pass attempt, one spot ahead of the 13-3 San Francisco 49ers, even though they rarely forced opponents into obvious passing situations. Chris Long broke out with a career-high 13 sacks. Long had been improving since moving to the left side. There were indications he might hit double digits for sacks if the Rams forced opponents into obvious passing situations frequently enough. Long came within a half-sack of matching his combined total for the 2009-10 seasons.

Biggest disappointment: Failing to build on Sam Bradford's promising rookie season. Bradford was the NFL's offensive rookie of the year after setting rookie records for completions (354) and pass attempts (590). Only Peyton Manning had thrown for more yards than Bradford as an NFL rookie. There were challenges this season with the lockout, a tough early schedule and all that goes with learning a new scheme. Bradford and first-year coordinator Josh McDaniels liked their chances, but the offense suffered huge setbacks when injuries sidelined Steven Jackson and Danny Amendola in the season opener. The Rams approached the season eager to see how Jackson, Amendola, Brandon Gibson, Mike Hoomanawanui and Lance Kendricks functioned together. That group never took a snap together. Bradford completed only 53.5 percent of his passes. He took 36 sacks in 10 starts and threw for only six touchdowns.

Biggest need: Offensive playmakers. Bradford completed only 1 of 16 attempts in goal-to-go situations. For perspective, consider that Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman, another young quarterback facing struggles in 2011, completed 14 of 20 passes with eight touchdowns in these situations. Picking up Brandon Lloyd by trade helped, but the veteran receiver might wind up being a one-year rental. Lloyd's contract expires in March. The man influential in bringing him to St. Louis, McDaniels, might not be back. The Rams need to draft a difference- maker at receiver. That could be tough to justify with so many needs elsewhere on the roster.

Team MVP: Jackson was an obvious choice. If only he hadn't strained a quadriceps while breaking a 47-yard touchdown run against Philadelphia on his first carry of the season. That injury limited Jackson to six carries over the first three games. Jackson still topped 1,100 yards for the season. He joined Emmitt Smith, Thurman Thomas, Curtis Martin, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson and LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players with seven consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He rushed for 159, 130 and 128 yards during a three-game stretch when the Rams went 2-1.

Starting over up front: The offensive line was supposed to be a strength for St. Louis after the team signed guard Harvey Dahl in free agency. Dahl held up his end, but the rest of the line fell apart. Rodger Saffold will be back at left tackle or somewhere along the line. Dahl will return. Right tackle Jason Smith, chosen second overall in 2009, will not return at his current salary. Center Jason Brown lost his starting job during the season. Left guard Jacob Bell took a pay reduction and a one-year deal right before the season. The team has not developed young depth on the line. How will the team protect Bradford?

Players catching shorter passes -- running backs, slot receivers and some tight ends -- tend to gain more yards after the catch than those running deeper routes.

That is one point to keep in mind when reading through the chart ranking NFC West players by average yards gained after each reception. The chart shows players with at least 20 catches.

The Seattle Seahawks' Doug Baldwin gained 73 of his 93 yards after the catch Monday night, a season-high for a Seattle player. The St. Louis Rams' Steven Jackson gained 50 yards on a screen pass. The Arizona Cardinals gained 180 yards after the catch Sunday, their highest total in a game this season by 84 yards.

The huge gains after the catch were great for NFC West offenses, but not so great for defenses. After all, the only Week 14 games featuring NFC West teams pitted division opponents against one another.

The Rams have tried to connect on deeper passes this season. They have also suffered significant injuries to slot receivers. That could help explain why their YAC average lags even though three players with modest totals for receptions rank high on the chart.

Thanks to ESPN Stats & Information for the numbers.

The preseason NFC West favorite St. Louis Rams take a 2-9 record into Candlestick Park on Sunday.

They will not take their starting offensive tackles or their leading receiver from 2010, and to hear coach Steve Spagnuolo tell it, injuries help explain why the Rams haven't kept pace with the 9-2 San Francisco 49ers this season.

Spagnuolo, speaking to reporters covering the 49ers, said injuries are no excuse. He also said continuity is crucial for teams installing new offenses, as the Rams and 49ers did this season. He said that was especially so coming out of a lockout-shortened offseason.

"We knew there'd be some rough edges, but you'd hope that you'd get to this certain point of the season and those reps underneath your belt would surface and you'd have some success," Spagnuolo said. "I think that’s happened for San Francisco."

The 49ers averaged 213 yards per game over the first three weeks of the season, never exceeding 226. They have averaged 344 yards over the subsequent eight games, despite a season-low 170 during their most recent game, a 16-6 defeat at Baltimore.

"You have a better chance of doing that when you can keep the same the same 11, 12, 13 guys on offense," Spagnuolo said. "We haven’t had that, and again, as a professional football team, professional coaches, professional players, you have to find a way to overcome that and it’s been tough for us to do that."

The Rams averaged 279 yards over their first four games, 349 over their next four, but only 246 over their past three. They are in decline.

St. Louis' offense suffered more significant injuries early in the season. The quadriceps injury Steven Jackson suffered in Week 1 sidelined him for one game and limited him for weeks. Losing 2010 receiving leader Danny Amendola at the same time compounded the problems.

The Rams' preferred personnel group -- Jackson, Brandon Gibson, Amendola, Mike Hoomanawanui and Lance Kendricks -- never played a snap together. The team acquired Brandon Lloyd by trade, explaining why the chart lists 12 projected starters for the Rams. But with Hoomanawanui suffering from injuries before ultimately landing on injured reserve, and with quarterback Sam Bradford missing time with an ankle injury, continuity suffered badly.

The 49ers' preferred offensive personnel group -- Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan, Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker -- played extensively together until Morgan's season-ending injury in Week 5. The remaining four continue to play extensively together. Their quarterback, Alex Smith, hasn't lost a snap to injury.

The injury Bradford suffered at Green Bay on the final offensive play in Week 6 came just as the offense had amassed a season-high 424 yards, only to lose 24-3. That injury was a tough setback, but the team won for the first time all season two weeks later -- with backup A.J. Feeley at quarterback against New Orleans.

Injuries are not the only reason for the disparity between St. Louis and San Francisco. They might not be the primary reason.

The 49ers' defense and special teams have taken pressure off their offense. Their offense has made great use of favorable field position. Their offensive line has struggled at times, but the 49ers have developed a power running game the Rams never matched even before injuries undercut their line (Jackson's production largely came on misdirection-type runs from shotgun formations). The Rams' defense has also fallen far short of expectations, buckling against the run in particular.

The 49ers have nearly doubled the Rams in scoring (262-140) despite averaging only 13.1 additional yards per game. Both teams are converting around 30 percent of the time on third down. They average right around 4.2 yards per rushing attempt. The Rams have a slightly lower interception rate.

Both teams have lost starting or primary wide receivers to season-ending injuries. The Rams counted on Amendola more than the 49ers counted on Morgan. But as valuable as Amendola was to the Rams -- he caught 85 passes last season, compared to 44 for Morgan -- the season did not hinge on his availability.

By my count, eight projected Rams starters on offense have missed a combined 25 starts, while two projected 49ers starters have missed a combined eight starts. I've used the word "projected" because those totals reflect only players projected as starters coming into the season. The breakdowns fall this way:

• Rams: Amendola 10, right tackle Jason Smith 5, tight end Hoomanawanui 3, Bradford 2, left tackle Rodger Saffold 2, Jackson 1, receiver Gibson 1, tight end Kendricks 1.
• 49ers: Morgan 6, Crabtree 2.

I did not consider fullbacks as starters because both teams' preferred groupings featured a halfback with two tight ends. The 49ers have played most of the season without veteran fullback Moran Norris, but Bruce Miller has grown into the role. The Rams have occasionally started fullback Brit Miller.

Both teams made performance-related changes to their offensive lines. The 49ers benched right guard Chilo Rachal after three games. The Rams benched center Jason Brown more recently.

Injuries have wiped out the Rams' offensive line in recent weeks, but their five projected starters were in the lineup into Week 7, with disappointing results. The 49ers were 5-1 at that point. The Rams were 0-6. Those trends have pretty much held.

Spagnuolo's comments covered the offense. The Rams' problems on defense are a subject for another conversation.

The Seattle Seahawks caught the ball exceptionally well during training camp and into the regular season.

They have fallen off dramatically in that area over the past six weeks. Tight end Anthony McCoy and receiver Ben Obomanu have suffered three drops apiece since Week 7, accounting for more than one-third of the team's season total, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Seattle had only three drops through Week 6.

Obomanu is expected to start for Seattle against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night while Sidney Rice recovers from a concussion. Rookie Doug Baldwin, the Seahawks' leading receiver, has only one drop.

The chart below lists NFC West players with at least two drops this season.

Brandon Lloyd has added badly needed production to the St. Louis Rams' offense.

Much of his potential remains untapped.

That was one conclusion upon learning that Sam Bradford has averaged only 5.6 yards per attempt with a 40-percent completion rate when targeting Lloyd this season. Lloyd has made a few spectacular catches. He leads the team in touchdown receptions with three. But as the chart shows, Bradford has been more efficient targeting other players.

Lloyd has averaged 13.9 yards per reception on passes from Bradford and 12.4 per catch overall with the Rams. Bradford and backup A.J. Feeley have consistently targeted Lloyd on deeper throws. They haven't connected frequently enough.

The efficiency and overall rapport between Bradford and Lloyd will be a storyline to watch for the Rams over the final six games, beginning Sunday against Arizona. The Cardinals' Patrick Peterson generally fared well in coverage against Lloyd when the teams played in Week 9. The Rams need to find out whether the 30-year-old Lloyd's breakout 2010 season (77 catches for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns with Denver) was an indicator of future production.

Earlier: Similar charts for other NFC West quarterbacks, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information's Hank Gargiulo.

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Arizona: Kevin Kolb's turf-toe injury is more than just a turf-toe injury. He's also dealing with a bone bruise along the outside of the same foot -- his right one, which takes most of the pressure when Kolb plants to throw. That bone bruise makes it tougher for Kolb to compensate for the toe injury by distributing additional weight elsewhere on the foot. As a result, he's struggling to come back quickly and could miss the Cardinals' game against San Francisco on Sunday. Kolb was already struggling in a new offense. He hasn't practiced in recent weeks, making it tougher for the team to feel good about playing him without a full week of practice. John Skelton appears likely to make a third consecutive start, particularly after winning his previous two. Tight ends Todd Heap (hamstring) and Rob Housler (groin) did not practice. Beanie Wells (knee) also sat out. Wells will presumably play, but the ground game faces a tough enough challenge against the 49ers without injuries diminishing Wells and the tight ends.

St. Louis: Injuries have severely depleted the Rams, but most of their remaining players practiced Wednesday, including left tackle Rodger Saffold (concussion). Right tackle Jason Smith (concussion), running back Cadillac Williams (calf) and receiver Brandon Gibson (groin) were the exceptions. The team isn't relying heavily on any of those players. The Rams do face severe challenges in their secondary, however. Starting cornerback Al Harris landed on injured reserve. The team signed corner Nate Ness from its practice squad. The Rams have few options at corner heading into a game against a Seattle team with vastly better receivers than the Rams faced in Week 17 last season. That is a concern. Losing tight end Michael Hoomanawanui to a season-ending knee injury will also hurt. He's been playing extensively for weeks. Rookie tight end Lance Kendricks practiced on a limited basis Wednesday despite a foot injury.

San Francisco: Frank Gore's knee injury and staying power for the remainder of the season are top concerns for the 49ers. Gore was not practicing Wednesday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Last season, Gore suffered a season-ending hip injury against Arizona in Week 12, missing the final five games. The Cardinals are on the schedule one week earlier this season. Getting Gore healthy for a playoff run seems like the wisest course, in my view. Gore told reporters his position coach, Tom Rathman, held him out against the Giants as a precaution. How much Gore practices later in the week will be telling. Inside linebacker Patrick Willis suffered injured ribs against the Giants. He's expected to practice and play.

Seattle: Coach Pete Carroll tends to see the glass half full when it comes to injuries. He was optimistic Wednesday about having strong safety Kam Chancellor and two of the team's top receivers, Sidney Rice and Doug Baldwin, after those three players suffered concussions against Baltimore. The key will be seeing how much those players practice over the next couple days. Chancellor's availability is a key issue for the Seahawks against Rams running back Steven Jackson. Seattle is a tougher, more physical team on defense with Chancellor. The Seahawks' injury situation at receiver is important, but the team plans to continue emphasizing its ground game. That will presumably remain a top priority against the Rams, who have allowed more rushing yards than any team in the league (despite improvements lately). Update: Rookie right tackle James Carpenter suffered a knee injury of unknown severity during practice Wednesday. Breno Giacomini would replace him in the line up if necessary. Losing Carpenter would set back the Seahawks' long-term plans for the line without necessarily hurting their chances against the Rams. Carpenter has struggled in pass protection.

Note: The 49ers and Seahawks are still practicing. I'll update with additional information as warranted.

Brandon Lloyd's arrival in St. Louis has coincided with Steven Jackson's fuller return to health over the past two weeks.

The offense has gone through quite a transition.

With an assist from Hank Gargiulo of ESPN Stats & Information, I've put together a chart showing how playing time has changed for the Rams' skill players over the last two games.

Some of the changes are injury related (Jackson is healthy, Danny Amendola is on injured reserve). Some are roster related (Lloyd added, Mike Sims-Walker subtracted). Some are a little more complicated (Lance Kendricks seeing the field less frequently).

Of course, A.J. Feeley has taken over for the injured Sam Bradford at quarterback. The offensive line has changed since Adam Goldberg replaced an injured Jason Smith at right tackle.

A few quick thoughts:

• Rookie Greg Salas is getting significantly more playing time. The team successfully targeted him on a fourth-and-2 play against New Orleans on Sunday. He appears to be gaining momentum. Fellow rookie wideout Austin Pettis has seen his playing time fall.
• Tight end Michael Hoomanawanui has gained snaps at Kendricks' expense. Kendricks has sometimes struggled with dropped passes, but I haven't figured out for sure why his playing time has diminished. A healthier Hoomanwanui would account for some of the change. The team has run 10 snaps of a grouping with Lloyd, Jackson and all three tight ends.
• Receiver Danario Alexander was inactive with a hamstring injury against New Orleans. Against Dallas, he played 13 snaps with a group featuring Lloyd, Jackson, Billy Bajema and Hoomanawanui. That five-man combination has played more snaps than any other featuring Lloyd. The runnerup, with 11 snaps, features Brandon Gibson, Kendricks and Salas instead of Bajema, Hoomanawanui and Alexander.
• Again, this offense remains in transition. We can safely say Lloyd is the focal point at receiver. Salas and Hoomanawanui have been gaining, while Pettis and Kendricks have fallen back some. But the combinations will continue to evolve, particularly once Bradford returns from his high-ankle sprain. Bradford and Kendricks developed a quick connection at training camp.

The chart shows percentages of all offensive plays, whether or not a player was active, sorted by change from the first six weeks.

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Adding receiver Brandon Lloyd from the Denver Broncos does not instantly transform the St. Louis Rams' offense.

It has to help, though.

Lloyd, acquired by trade for a 2012 sixth-round pick that can upgrade to a fifth-rounder, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, should help immediately. He already knows the offense, having flourished under the Rams' offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, in Denver last season.

Lloyd, 30, caught 77 passes for 1,448 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He has 19 receptions for 283 yards and no touchdowns this season. Brandon Gibson leads the Rams with 17 receptions for 214 yards and one score.

Trades often require a measure of projecting. How will a player fit in the locker room? In the offense? With the coaching staff?

McDaniels' familiarity with Lloyd allows the Rams to intelligently answer each of those questions. They are doing little projecting. There's little question they need help at receiver, a position that was already underwhelming before Danny Amendola went on injured reserve.

The Rams' ability to get this deal done shows the team is responsive to McDaniels' wishes. Whether Lloyd signs a contract extension beyond the 2011 season could tell us, to a degree, how committed ownership remains to a McDaniels-coached offense.

The relatively low compensation the Rams gave to Denver shows the Broncos are rebuilding and knew they weren't going to re-sign Lloyd after the season. They moved to get value while they could.

Sam Bradford has completed less than 50 percent of his passes through four games in part because his teammates have suffered from a league-high 12 dropped passes.

I've put together an updated chart showing every NFC West drop this season. ESPN Stats & Information defines drops as incomplete passes where the offending player should have caught the pass with ordinary effort, and only when the receiver is 100 percent at fault. Passes thrown just outside the receiver's reach or those falling incomplete when pass interference should have been called do not meet the standard.

The chart also shows how many times each player has been targeted. Targets show how many times a player is targeted, whether or not a catch should have been made. Note that the San Francisco 49ers' Vernon Davis has 19 receptions in 23 targets, a very high percentage.

The Rams' league-high total is two more than Cleveland. The 49ers have seven, which is tied for seventh-most. The Arizona Cardinals have three, tied for 26th-most. The Seattle Seahawks have two, none by wide receivers. Only the New England Patriots, with one, have fewer.

The Atlanta Falcons' Roddy White leads the NFL with six drops. The Browns' Montario Hardesty is next with four. The Rams' Lance Kendricks is among three players with three.

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